Container and closure therefor and method of making the same



F. O'L. KILLORIN 1,964,206

THOD OF MAKING THE SAME June 26, 1934.

CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR AND M Filed Feb. 12. 1932 vINVENTOR(of/aw; Y B

ZATTORNEYS Patented June 26,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR AND METHOD OFMAKING THE SAlVIE Francis OL. Killorin, Waterbury, Conn., assignor toScovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation ofConnecticut Application February 12, 1932, Serial No. 592,452 7 Claims.(Cl. 29-1482) joint.

piece cap.

Such constructions, however, have not proved altogether satisfactorybecause the two parts sometimes work loose, thus destroying or impairingthe utility of the cap.

It is an object of the present invention to pro vide a container havinga one-piece metal cap that may be firmly locked in place and thatpresentsv a smooth, unbroken exterior surface and makes a neatjoint withthe container body.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a container and capof the characteristics referred to, such that the cap may be removed andreplaced with a slight twisting motion.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a method ofproducing caps.

With these general objects and others not specifically mentioned inView, the invention consists in the features, combinations, details ofconstruction and arrangements of parts which will first be described inconnection with the accompanying drawing and then more particularlypointed out.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View, with parts broken away and removed, of acontainer, including its closure, constructed in accordance with theinvention.

the closure.

Referring to the drawing, the container here illustrated as an examplecomprises a body portion 11 in the form of a glass jar and a one-piececlosure or cap 12 formed of sheet metal.

The jar has a neck 13 of reduced diameter forming a shoulder 14.

This neck is provided with a plurality of equally spaced cam elements 15in the nature of an interrupted thread. The cap portion of the containerhas a smooth, slightly rounded top and a depending skirt portion 16.This latter is designed to take over the neck of the jar and is of adiameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of shoulder 14.

The outer face of cap skirt 16 presents a smooth, unbroken surface andthe cap has an uninterrupted bottom edge.

The interior of the cap skirt 16 is provided 'with a plurality ofequally-spaced lugs or projections 17 for engaging the cam elements onthe neck of 1 the jar. In the embodiment here illustrated as an example,these lugs are in the form of curled up strips skived or sheared fromthe metal of the cap skirt and integral therewith.

These lugs may be formed by suitable shearing and forming tools thatshear a strip or tongue from the interior of the cap skirt working fromthe edge toward the top of the cap. During the shearing operation, thetongue may be simultaneously curled over into the form of a bead, asappears in Fig. 3.

These lugs 17 are equally spaced around the cap skirt and are equal innumber to the number of cam elements 15 with which they are tocooperate. The several lugs lie in substantially the same plane, i. e.,are at substantially equal distances from the bottom edge or rim of thecap. The width of the sheared and curled tongues, i. e., the length ofthe resulting lugs, is suchas to provide lugs that have the properstrength and make proper engagement with the cam elements.

In some containers, the neck is longer than in others. But in all casesit is desirable, from a merchandising point of View, that the bottomedge of the cap skirt shall be in close proximity to the shoulder on thecontainer body. In carrying out the invention in its entirety, theposition of the lugs 17 with respect to the bottom edge of the cap skirtis determined by the arrangement and dimensions of the neck of thecontainer body. This may be accomplished, for example, by first forminga cap blank having a skirt longer than the skirt ultimately desired;shearing and curling the lugs from the edge of that skirt; and finallycutting off the skirt to leave a final skirt of the desired length.

The particular container here illustrated as an example is of theshort-necked type and calls for a cap having its lugs closely adjacentthe edge of the cap. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate the method of producingsuch a cap. Fig. 3 shows a cap blank having a skirt longer than theskirt ultimately desired. From this skirt the lugs 17 are sheared andcurled. Then the skirt of the blank is out off to a point adjacent thelugs. Fig. 4 shows the completed cap, the broken lines indicating themetal of the skirt that has been removed.

With the method described, enough metal for the lugs is available and atthe same time the cap has the shallow characteristic demanded by thecontainer neck.

It will be understood that the cap illustrated in Fig. 3 might have itsskirt cut away by a less amount than here indicated, or not cut away atall, depending on the neck dimensions'of the particular container inquestion.

The invention in its entirety includes a compressible sealing gasket inthe cap. As here shown as an example, on the inner side of the top ofthe closure is a compressible gasket in the form of a disk 18 ofcardboard or thick paper. This disk may be secured in place in anysuitable manner, as by friction or adhesion. In any event, it is keptfrom falling out by the projections 17.

In applying the closure to the container body, the closure is placedover the container with the lugs 17 passing between the respective camelements. Then the cap and container are given relative rotation wherebythe lugs ride down the cam elements and the closure is cammed down untilthe gasket 18 makes sealing contact with the lip of the container neck.It will be apparent that there is no definite and positive stop to therotation of the cap. A suitable seal is effected and the closure lockedby what may be termed an average gasket compression, a greater turningforce giving greater compression.

By regulating the thickness or characteristics of the gasket and therelative position of the lugs 1'7, the ultimate sealing position may beso controlled that the bottom edge of the closure is in close proximityto but not in actual contact with the shoulder on the container body.

With the construction described, an effective closing and sealing isobtained by a slight rotation or twist of the closure, avoiding theexcessive rotation that is necessary with a screwthread type of closure.Moreover, the cap has a smooth, unbroken outer surface, and anuninterrupted bottom edge that makes a close and neat joint with thecontainer shoulder, thus meeting the requirements of the packagingtrade.

What is claimed is:

l. The herein described method of forming a cap for a container, whichcomprises forming a cap blank having a skirt longer than the desiredskirt, shearing a plurality of tongues from the metal of the inside wallof said skirt starting from the edge thereof, curling over said tonguesto form lugs for engaging cam elements on the container neck, andcutting away the skirt of the blank below said lugs to leave a cap skirtof the desired length.

2. The herein described method of forming a cap for a container whichcomprises forming a cap blank having a skirt longer than the desiredsln'rt, shearing a plurality of tongues from the metal of the insidewall of said skirt starting from the edge thereof, curling over saidtongues to form lugs for engaging cam elements on the container neck,and cutting away the skirt of the blank to a point adjacent said lugs.

3. The herein described method of forming a cap for a container whichcomprises forming a cap blank having a skirt, shearing a plurality oftongues of substantially equal length from the metal of the inside wallof the skirt starting from the. edge thereof, and curling over saidtongues to form bead-like lugs for engaging cam elements on a containerneck.

4. A container comprising a body portion and a onepiece metal capportion, the body portion having a neck and a plurality of cam elementson said neck, the cap having a skirt for taking over the body neck, theskirt portion having a smooth, unbroken outer surface and a plurality ofspaced lugs on the interior wall of the cap skirt for engaging with thecam elements, said lugs being positioned at substantially equaldistances from the bottom edge of the cap and formed from tongues theroots of which are cut from and intergral with the inner wall of the capskirt.

5. A cap for a container comprising a one-piece metal shell having a topand a depending skirt, the skirt having a smooth, unbroken outersurface, and a plurality of locking projections on the interior of saidskirt, said projections being formed from tongues the roots of which arecut from and integral with the inner wall of the cap skirt, and saidprojections being positioned at substantially equal distances from thebottom edge of the cap.

6. The herein described method of forming a cap for a container, whichcomprises forming a cap blank having a skirt longer than the desiredskirt, shearing a plurality of tongues from the metal of the inside wallof said skirt starting from the edge thereof, forming said tongues intolocking lugs for engagement with cooperating locking elements on thecontainer neck, and cutting away the skirt of the blank below said lugsto leave a cap skirt of the desired length.

7. The herein described method of forming a cap for a container, whichcomprises forming a cap blank having a skirt longer than the desiredskirt, shearing metal from the inside wall of said skirt starting fromthe edge thereof while leaving said sheared metal integrally rooted tosaid inside wall, forming said sheared metal into a locking element forengagement with a cooperating element on the container neck, and cuttingaway the skirt of the blank below said locking element to leave a capskirt of the desired length.

FRANCIS OL. KILLORIN.

